The 550i Xdrive only weighs 121 lbs more than the S6 (4519 lbs. vs. 4398 lbs.).
In the Car and Driver comparo, from a rolling start the M5 is almost a half second faster to 60. From 0-100 it is a full second faster and from 0-130 is is 3 seconds faster. Without launch control the S6 is definitely not in M5 territory. I like the S6 and will consider it once I see the LCI 550i Xdrive which will most definitely be no slower 0-60 than the S6 (without launch control) as the current version is within .02 of a second.

Let's not compare 560hp car to 420hp car, ///M is ///M
Also, i dont see how using lunch control is an issue here, you keep bringing it up.
I use it often - it's fun, and super easy to initiate at any stop light
Now, 550xi with Dinan stage 1 traps 1/4mil at only 110mph
This is very good estimate on what LCI going to be at, passing-power wise
S6 picks up aditional 5mph (115mph) in 1/4 run and that's huge!
It means at the end of 1/4 mile it's pulling away from 550i fast
And dual-clutch tranny on S6 is just amazing. Possibly a reason for no turbo lag too

Not sure if this question is addressed to me, but in my earlier post i said that i had pretty long testdrive of both cars on local roads and highways
Very different cars
And no, nothing has to do with 0-60 times
However, feeling crazy force from launching S6 was pretty cool

P.S. Passing semis on the freeway is where you feel all this power
It jumps to tripple digits in a blink of an eye

Audi has a different business model. They tightly control the production supply of their cars so they can maintain pricing discipline and hit goals through higher profit margins rather than through volume. As you experienced, despite same general sticker price, they rarely discount due to low inventory (production controls) and adequate demand. Most of their 6 cylinder A6 and above start at least with a lease price around 750 plus or so with a sizable signing amount. Beautiful cars I agree.

I am cross shopping SUV's for my wife so I understand both companies and their approach to pricing. The above post is spot on. BMW dealers typically will negotiate to a higher percentage off of US MSRP. The dealer receives holdbacks to offset this. Audi does not use holdbacks so the dealers are forced to take a harder line on negotiations. Audis tend to come well equipped for their price points. BMW prices their option packages robustly. Both Audi and BMW make fine products and are fine companies to work with after the sale. Much boils down to personal preference. While I have the highest respect for Audi, I personally prefer BMW products. However you pay a slight premium over Audi for BMW products typically.

For my wife we are looking at the BMW X3 with very few options, moderately equipped Audi Q5, and a well equipped VW Tiguan. The X3 is the best one of the group with the Q5 a close second. The Q5 is the best value. a moderately equipped Tiguan is the most cost effective and least fun to drive.

Audi has a different business model. They tightly control the production supply of their cars so they can maintain pricing discipline and hit goals through higher profit margins rather than through volume.

I think that you're right on target. But the problem is that VW has set itself a goal of largest car company in the world (and largest luxury car company as well) by 2020. So when you're cross-shopping an S6 with a 550 (its true competitor) and an Audi dealer talks about limited production, limited inventory and limited discounts, I just walk over to another dealer like BMW that starts with "yes" rather than "no".

An Audi dealer once told me that I couldn't get the car that I wanted because it was in too much demand and they had limited supply. My response was, "why are you treating a problem as a benefit, and why are you making your problem my problem?". Then I bought another BMW.

Audi is making a very good product. But I think their business model is broken.

patient waiting for the LCI. pretty excited that the 550 will get the N63Tu.
but in the mean time i decided to go test drive an S6 today.
Gotta admit that it's a pretty nice car. a wolf in sheeps clothing. Motor sounds amazing, the recaro seats are comfortable and beautifully stitched. it handles great and the acceleration is pretty damn impressive. That being said I'm not sure I buy car and drivers claim that it goes 0-60 in 3.7sec and there was more turbo lag than i was expecting. dealer wouldnt let me use the launch control

77k sticker with a 5k dealer mark up which was non negotiable. Custom order is approximately 6 month wait time and if they can find a car in the country that is what i want then I get to pay the shipping cost. Great customer service Audi.

the 550GT in the n63tu picks up about .5 sec on 0-60 times so possibl3 the f10 will be below 4.5? any thoughts.

should I just keep waiting or look for a more reasonable audi dealer since ultimately the cars will be about the same price? the extra power and reported steering improvement would put the 2 cars in the same category performance wise.

Pej

Wow, 77k+5k markup = 82k. Might as well put in another 5k-10k and get an real deal - M5 (assuming you can negotiate really well)

Wow, 77k+5k markup = 82k. Might as well put in another 5k-10k and get an real deal - M5 (assuming you can negotiate really well)

not sure I'm capable of negotiating that well.
And whoever said the S6 is not comparo with 550 is dead wrong. although m5 lost in the c&d comparo against the s6 I would consider the m5 to be a head to head competitor with the RS6 that we will probably never see.

I feel if any objective driver got behind the 2 cars they'd be hard pressed to say the 550 is the better automobile. Ultimately the bmw will be the better deal and that will likely be the deciding factor

OP Don't let the Audi dealer give you the no discount crap. If you really are interested in the S6 then go to Audizine and ask what the guys are paying there and what kind of discounts they are getting. Then ask for a dealer referral. When I bought my Audi they told me the same thing then when I made the offer and demanded $500-1000 above invoice and they said no I then walked out. They called me back within a week and deal was done. Go also at the end of the month when qoutas have to be met.
Good luck with whatever car you end up with. Can't lose with either one.

not sure I'm capable of negotiating that well.
And whoever said the S6 is not comparo with 550 is dead wrong. although m5 lost in the c&d comparo against the s6 I would consider the m5 to be a head to head competitor with the RS6 that we will probably never see.

I feel if any objective driver got behind the 2 cars they'd be hard pressed to say the 550 is the better automobile. Ultimately the bmw will be the better deal and that will likely be the deciding factor

I expressed my opinion that the S6 and 550 are both nice rides but I don't feel they compare well because the S is closer to an M than a 550.

I stand by that statement.

And, remember - Audi always has to live up to BMW in the United States because of CBS news. I feel sort of bad for Audi.

It's always amazed me just how much control the media has over the public. With no accountability.

Hmm, so S6 is better than 550. Oh well, as usual I've made a mistake when I bought 550x. I wish I've bought S6, printed "car and driver" comparo and attached to rear window so everybody could read it and understand why I have this car. And than at every traffic light when I line up with another car I will switch launch control on and step on it. I will leave them all in a dust and will keep pulling away until I see all those loosers gone (especially 550 owners).

To be serious, I test drove S6 and 550ix. Twice, each car. They both felt very fast. Both are fine cars. And no, S6 never felt any faster - not at all.
I just could not get over the fact that navigation in my car must have an erection to be on. And seats with no ventilation. And the fact that I must overpay. And wait for 6 moths. And.... enough.

Hmm, so S6 is better than 550. Oh well, as usual I've made a mistake when I bought 550x. I wish I've bought S6, printed "car and driver" comparo and attached to rear window so everybody could read it and understand why I have this car. And than at every traffic light when I line up with another car I will switch launch control on and step on it. I will leave them all in a dust and will keep pulling away until I see all those loosers gone (especially 550 owners).

To be serious, I test drove S6 and 550ix. Twice, each car. They both felt very fast. Both are fine cars. And no, S6 never felt any faster - not at all.
I just could not get over the fact that navigation in my car must have an erection to be on. And seats with no ventilation. And the fact that I must overpay. And wait for 6 moths. And.... enough.

My thoughts exactly. While I like to see the auto companies compete with each other on performance, because it improves the breed, I won't base a decision to buy a car on 0-60 times that are within half a second of each other. Especially a midsize luxury sedan like the BMW 5 or Audi 6 models. Unless you're a total tool, blasting off at each traffic light won't be part of your daily drive. How do they compare in the more important 30-50 and 50-70mph numbers? Pretty darn close again. And if you're really planning on track days, go for a M3.

I also looked at both the 550i xDrive and S6 before opting for the 550. In the end, there were a number of reasons I chose the Bimmer: price, interior quality/design, overall style, front seat comfort, I could go on... And I would never pay a dealer markup for a car. How is the rest of the dealer experience going to be when the first thing they do is gouge you on the front end?

If you mean brakes, thats more of a BMW's free maintenance item than a warranty item.

The X Men, it was both! VWoA & AoA played a shell game with owners after MY2006 with regards to scheduled maintenance and bumper2bumper warranty coverage. Cost of ownership is always a consideration in my car choice. BMW has Audi beat cold in that regard. Let's see how many S6 owners are still smiling at the 55,000 mile service interval while Clarence Carter's Stroking is playing in the dealership lobby!

To the OP, I have to agree with some of the posters here that the BMW dealership experience is better than Audi. AofA has to step up that is for sure.
As far as discounts if you do what I say than you can get one at $500-1000 above dealer invoice, but the wait is definitely 3-5months as the S6 has much more limited production than a 550i.
Lastly some of the guys here saying that the performance is not a factor is probably the same guys who will hark the opposite if the 550i outperformed the S6. IMO buy which ever one you feel you liked best.

I won't base a decision to buy a car on 0-60 times that are within half a second of each other.

Its a lot more than the 0-60 time. the S6 is simply more agile, drives smaller and handles better, while the BMW feels bigger, floatier and more of a cruiser. With that said, I traded in my A6 for the 535i. performance was not my top priority this time around. I bought the F10 because it was better quality, feels a lot more solid and luxurious.

550 will not catch up Audi S6, no matter in 0 to 60 or 1/4 mile. However, I wanna say they are two different kinds of sedans. 550i is luxury, but S6 is performance. Even 535 handles more better than 550 (sporty feel). So, if wanna performance go with S6, if focus on luxury comfort, choose 550. Anyway, can't go wrong with either.

I won't base a decision to buy a car on 0-60 times that are within half a second of each other. Especially a midsize luxury sedan like the BMW 5 or Audi 6 models. Unless you're a total tool, blasting off at each traffic light won't be part of your daily drive. How do they compare in the more important 30-50 and 50-70mph numbers? Pretty darn close again. And if you're really planning on track days, go for a M3.

Actually many people buy cars based on 0-60 time. ask any american muscle car owner. my 0-60 question was merely out of curiosity. The overall driving dynamic is the most important to me. Maybe I am a tool and take offense to the assumption that being a tool is bad. Doesn't driving a BMW automatically make one a tool? no track days for me, at least not in a boat but perhaps some spirited canyon runs are in order with the right car.

I think people incorrectly assume that if a car is faster 0-60 and similar in pricing that the faster one must be a better car.

Audi has improved a lot....but the S-Lines are nowhere near the level of prestige that a M or AMG car is.....I don't care what is faster.

I think AMG and M prestige has come down a bit the last few years. Why would most people pay $100k for a M5 when you can get a 550i and Dinan it for 30-50k less and it is going to basically look the exact same with the exception of some badges and the tailpipes?

I think that you're right on target. But the problem is that VW has set itself a goal of largest car company in the world (and largest luxury car company as well) by 2020. So when you're cross-shopping an S6 with a 550 (its true competitor) and an Audi dealer talks about limited production, limited inventory and limited discounts, I just walk over to another dealer like BMW that starts with "yes" rather than "no".

An Audi dealer once told me that I couldn't get the car that I wanted because it was in too much demand and they had limited supply. My response was, "why are you treating a problem as a benefit, and why are you making your problem my problem?". Then I bought another BMW.

Audi is making a very good product. But I think their business model is broken.

VWs goal to be largest production appear to be counter intuitive based on their production/pricing strategy. I do suspect that their growth strategy though will be focused in China to achieve number 1 status. I like your approach why are you making your problem my problem, lol. Which is what I did as well. I bought a 550...